Nov. 16: ARE NONVIOLENCE AND PEACE IRRELEVENT IN OUR VIOLENT WORLD? MAHATMA GANDHI, HIS CRITICS, SOCIALISM, AND THE LEFT TODAY

Nov. 16: ARE NONVIOLENCE AND PEACE IRRELEVENT IN OUR VIOLENT WORLD?

MAHATMA GANDHI, HIS CRITICS, SOCIALISM, AND THE LEFT TODAY

Doug Allen, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, The University of Maine

In our violent world of U.S. Anti-Democratic Fascism, Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Gaza-Hamas-Middle East, Iran, India, China,

Sudan, Congo, and more, are nonviolence and peace ineffective and irrelevant ideals? Today’s polarized responses to

contemporary crises of violence, conflict, and injustice throughout the world, the USA, and Maine often seem

intractable. The presenter will suggest ways of relating past and present research on the most influential proponent of

nonviolence—Mahatma Gandhi, with his deep insights, his “Himalayan Blunders,” and his critics—but moving forward

in new ways that challenge, engage us in dialogue, generate critical reflection, and serve as a catalyst for developing

the human potential of socialists and the Left for transformative theoretical formulations and cooperative, engaged,

transformative practices that are desperately needed in our lives and in the world.

Doug Allen retired in 2020 after 46 years as Professor of Philosophy at the University of Maine. Often recognized as one

of the world’s leading scholars on Gandhi, he is the author (and editor) of 18 books and more than 150 book chapters

and journal articles. As an activist-scholar and scholar-activist, he has played a leadership role in the Civil Rights

Movement, the Vietnam/Indochina Anti-war Movement, the Anti-Apartheid Movement, and other struggles resisting

class exploitation, race and gender oppression, environmental destruction, and other peace and justice movements

continuing to the present.

Note: The program in the Bangor Room is scheduled for 12:30-1:45 and will probably continue until 2:00 p.m. Those

using the Zoom will be able to access the above link starting at 12:25. The program will begin at 12:35. We apologize

for some Zoom problems at the excellent program on Nov. 9 th , and we are doing our best to correct those problems.

The Fall 2023 Socialist and Marxist Studies Series is sponsored by the Marxist and Socialist Studies Minor, co-

sponsored by Maine Peace Action Committee (MPAC) and Division of Student Life, with support of College of

Liberal Arts and Sciences and Department of Philosophy. Speakers do not necessarily present socialist or Marxist

viewpoints. For additional information, contact Doug Allen at dallen@maine.edu and Kyra Pederson at

kyra.pederson@maine.edu.

COMMUNITY CIRCLE FOR PEACE